Comments on: Kentucky Lawmaker Wants to Kill the Internet http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/ Motivating readers to believe, act, and achieve by looking at life with wit, wisdom, and engaging creativity Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:05:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Jeanne Dininni http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10706 Jeanne Dininni Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:43:24 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10706 Dan, The points you make are, of course, very valid. I agree with you. I simply focused on the address issue, because that would be more likely to have the potential to cause actual physical harm to the victim. Jeanne Dan,

The points you make are, of course, very valid. I agree with you. I simply focused on the address issue, because that would be more likely to have the potential to cause actual physical harm to the victim.

Jeanne

]]> By: Sabrina http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10691 Sabrina Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:52:20 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10691 That'll never pass, ever. He's smoking crack or he's trying to get some of his paranoid constituents to shut up and it's probably all because somebody gave somebody crap on myspace, or lost their girl/boyfriend or some such Jerry Springer drama. See why you have to be crazy to want to be a politician? That’ll never pass, ever. He’s smoking crack or he’s trying to get some of his paranoid constituents to shut up and it’s probably all because somebody gave somebody crap on myspace, or lost their girl/boyfriend or some such Jerry Springer drama.

See why you have to be crazy to want to be a politician?

]]> By: dcr http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10679 dcr Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:39:33 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10679 What makes you think this is a safe blog? ;-) What makes you think this is a safe blog? ;-)

]]> By: dcr http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10678 dcr Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:38:57 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10678 Even giving your name could make problems worse. A pseudonym can give you some degree of protection against online bullies. Say for example that I went by the name of "blogman" or something and you were bullying me online in different forums or on my blog or whatever. If it got to be a problem, I'd have the option of changing my name to "webman" or something and starting a new blog and just telling my known friends I had changed my ID. Then, you might not be able to find me so easily again. But, if you're required to use your real name, it's harder to do something like that. It can be argued that it makes it harder for the online bullies to remain anonymous, but who is going to be in charge of verifying these names and addresses? It's likely that the bullies will use fake info while their victims will use actual info. And, I just think that has the potential for making things much worse. In the past, I was an advocate for using real names online. I ran a BBS where people were required to use their real names in order to join and participate in discussions. There are certainly disadvantages to allowing people to participate online in an anonymous or pseudonymous manner. But, I see also that there are times when it's necessary. Despite existing laws on things like stalking, some people still have to resort to changing their names or hiding online in order to evade their stalkers. Sometimes, stalkers may know enough to skirt the edges of the law; avoiding breaking any laws but still managing to play mind games with their victims. At other times, a presumed stalker is nothing of the sort, but the presumed victim feels threatened and tries to evade them. In any case, I just don't think people should be required to use their real names online, nor do I think that website owners should have the responsibility for verifying the identities of their users. Even giving your name could make problems worse. A pseudonym can give you some degree of protection against online bullies. Say for example that I went by the name of “blogman” or something and you were bullying me online in different forums or on my blog or whatever. If it got to be a problem, I’d have the option of changing my name to “webman” or something and starting a new blog and just telling my known friends I had changed my ID. Then, you might not be able to find me so easily again.

But, if you’re required to use your real name, it’s harder to do something like that. It can be argued that it makes it harder for the online bullies to remain anonymous, but who is going to be in charge of verifying these names and addresses? It’s likely that the bullies will use fake info while their victims will use actual info. And, I just think that has the potential for making things much worse.

In the past, I was an advocate for using real names online. I ran a BBS where people were required to use their real names in order to join and participate in discussions. There are certainly disadvantages to allowing people to participate online in an anonymous or pseudonymous manner. But, I see also that there are times when it’s necessary. Despite existing laws on things like stalking, some people still have to resort to changing their names or hiding online in order to evade their stalkers. Sometimes, stalkers may know enough to skirt the edges of the law; avoiding breaking any laws but still managing to play mind games with their victims. At other times, a presumed stalker is nothing of the sort, but the presumed victim feels threatened and tries to evade them.

In any case, I just don’t think people should be required to use their real names online, nor do I think that website owners should have the responsibility for verifying the identities of their users.

]]> By: Jeanne Dininni http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10670 Jeanne Dininni Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:33:05 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10670 Dan, <i>Name</i> is one thing--but <i>address</i>?! Hate to say it, but this guy needs to <i>get real!</i> Giving out one's physical address on the iternet would be the height of foolishness, since it could so seriously compromise personal safety and security. And doing so on <i>any</i> insecure site (aka any site without a lock icon in the status bar at the bottom of the screen or an encrypted connection, indicated after right-clicking the web page and then clicking "Properties") would be total insanity. Let's hope no one falls for this foolish bill--at least without some drastic revisions! Jeanne Dan,

Name is one thing–but address?! Hate to say it, but this guy needs to get real! Giving out one’s physical address on the iternet would be the height of foolishness, since it could so seriously compromise personal safety and security. And doing so on any insecure site (aka any site without a lock icon in the status bar at the bottom of the screen or an encrypted connection, indicated after right-clicking the web page and then clicking “Properties”) would be total insanity.

Let’s hope no one falls for this foolish bill–at least without some drastic revisions!

Jeanne

]]> By: Michelle Gartner http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10666 Michelle Gartner Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:03:55 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/03/10/kentucky-lawmaker-wants-to-kill-the-internet/#comment-10666 The fact that this guys from Kentucky pretty much explains it for me... I hear that there's a lot internet bullying in Butcher Holler. Remember the internet bullying scene in the movie Coal Miner's Daughter- it freaked me out? So much so that I only comment on safe blogs... The fact that this guys from Kentucky pretty much explains it for me…
I hear that there’s a lot internet bullying in Butcher Holler.
Remember the internet bullying scene in the movie Coal Miner’s Daughter-
it freaked me out?
So much so that I only comment on safe blogs…

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